Park Ji-won "Integration with Bareunmirae Party and Minjupyeonghwa Party... 'Candidate Selection Blitz' Ends in March"

"An Cheol-soo, Geun-cheol should have been in Gwangju... An Cheol-soo's trait is ambiguity"
"Son Hak-gyu will not give a position to An Cheol-soo... ideologically incompatible"
"Moon Seok-gyun, a capable person... rather harmed because of his father"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Won Dara] Park Ji-won, a member of the Alternative New Party, hinted at the possibility of unification with the Bareunmirae Party and the Party for Democracy and Peace. Park mentioned that former Democratic Party emergency committee chairman Kim Jong-in proposed a 'centrist-conservative new party,' and suggested March, after the Democratic Party's candidate selection, as the timing for unification.

On the morning of the 22nd, Park Ji-won appeared on MBC radio and responded to a question about whether the 'third movement is being led by former chairman Kim, Bareunmirae Party leader Sohn Hak-kyu, and Party for Democracy and Peace leader Chung Dong-young' by saying, "I told Chairman Yoo Seong-yeop to go to the debate where the three are meeting today and talk about unification." Leaders Sohn, Chung, and Yoo attended the 'Emergency Debate to Eradicate Trick Parties' held at the National Assembly that day.

He said, "Former chairman Kim proposed creating the most urgent centrist-conservative new party to form a third force." He added, "He contributed to electing both former President Park Geun-hye and President Moon Jae-in but was ultimately betrayed by both organizations. Therefore, he dislikes both," and said, "There must be a sound third force for politics to develop."

Regarding the timing of unification, Park suggested February and March. He said, "If Chung Dong-young of the Party for Democracy and Peace and Sohn Hak-kyu of the Bareunmirae Party step down, some Honam factions from the Bareunmirae Party will come, and the idea is to gather first," adding, "There might be people coming over after being hit by the 'candidate selection lightning' in the Democratic Party."

He continued, "If you are not nominated, it's like being struck by lightning," and said, "If we accept those who come after being struck by lightning, we can form a parliamentary negotiation group," adding, "So we can truly move forward as a third force." He also said, "The good time is February, and since some people will come out after the Democratic Party's candidate selection fails, March is also sufficient."

When asked about Honam public opinion regarding former People's Party leader Ahn Cheol-soo, he said, "There won't be much movement." Park said, "(Ahn) should not have made a big bow upon entering Incheon but should have done so to the spirits of May 18 and the citizens of Gwangju," criticizing, "He has changed his words several times over four days. Ahn Cheol-soo's characteristic is being 'ambiguous.'"

When asked if leader Sohn would give up his position to former leader Ahn, he said, "I don't think he will," adding, "Leader Sohn said he would resign if his support fell below 10% until August last year but then reversed that." He also said, "Leader Sohn and former leader Ahn do not align ideologically."

Regarding the controversy over the nomination of Moon Hee-sang, Speaker of the National Assembly's son, Moon Seok-gyun, the standing vice chairman of the Uijeongbu Gap district committee, he said, "He is a person with his own abilities," and added that he might suffer because of his father. When asked if he thought the nomination was appropriate, he answered, "Yes."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.